Why Drugs and Drug Addiction Should Be Treated As a Social and Health Issue

Faulty social perception and an over focus on social standing, can mean that soe people resort to taking drugs for relief.

Understanding drug addiction

The use and abuse of drugs is an issue that has been managed by every human culture. The terms drug addiction and drug abuse generally mean the continuous use of any kind of drugs for the wrong purposes which interferes with the achievement of normal goals.

Over the years, there has been a lot of debate about the causes of these problems in an attempt to determine how they can be managed. The most permanent solutions are proactive. To understand the problem, one must understand its origin.

The following are some of the reasons why drug use and drug addiction should be treated as a social and health issue.

Drugs are taken to alter moods

Sometimes drugs are taken because they are available

Peer pressure leading to drug use

Self-medication

Mood Alteration

Numerous case studies about people who use or are addicted to drugs have been conducted in the past.

SCIENCE

Drug users tend to share a single circumstance : The lack of a normal social structure and support system.

For some, certain kind of feeling such as sadness, anger or even anxiety, can be harad to deal with. There are many different ways to get relief from such feelings, such as talking to family and friends or engaging in different kinds of physical activities.

Unfortunately, for some, faulty social perception and an over focus on where they perceive they find themselves as concerns social standing, can mean they resort to taking drugs for relief.

Availability

The demand for drugs has stimulated a black market since money was invented. Whenever people attend different social events, it is not uncommon for items like cigarettes and alcohol to be available. When this happens, the majority of the people in attendance are likely to be tempted to give it a try. It’s through simple exposure that most people are introduced to different kinds of drugs. Once the introduction is made, some will be able to manage their consumption, others won't. Those that do not are the ones who are likely to develop addictions if their usage goes unchecked.

Social Stigma

SCIENCE

A lot of people who have become victims of drug addiction shy away from getting help because of the stigma involved.

Very few people are willing to openly admit that they have a problem with taking a certain kind of drug and seek professional help. The fear stems from the image drug addicts have gotten over the years. In this case, dissociating from that image becomes more important than getting help, and as a result, the person ends up getting worse.

Self Medication

Self-medication is a process where one takes drugs without prescriptions from a qualified professional in an attempt to cure an ailment. This is one of the most common types of drug abuse and is often not treated with the seriousness it deserves. Whenever a person gets sick, it is important to seek professional medical advice. Individuals that purchase drugs over the counter to self-medicate because they have been treated for a similar ailment before are likely to suffer from drug-related ailments. Self-medication stems mostly from lack of proper health literacy. In some cases, individuals who are unable to afford healthcare end up self-medicating which also puts them at risk.

Depression

Depression is a serious health condition and is also one of the leading causes of drug use and drug addiction. At one point or another, around 20% of people will experience depression in their lives. However, the levels of depression and the methods in which people use to manage it are different.

Some, who opt to use different kinds of drugs to feel better develop a dependency which leads to drug addiction. Depression is a condition that, under normal circumstances, should be treated by a medical practitioner. Lack of enough information about depression prompts people to look for a quick fix.

Conclusion

Drug use and addiction are societal problems that have been advocated against with little success. This is because a lot of measures that are taken are reactive, not proactive. Health literacy and proper social structures should be used to educate people about these issues to stop it before it starts.